Things to Consider When Creating Your Adoption Plan in Colorado
Creating an adoption plan is different for everyone. Each and every birth mother has their own preferences on what they’d like their adoption journey to look like. So, you don’t need to feel pressured or like your adoption plan needs to be a certain way. Your adoption plan can look different than the next birth mother’s.
There are many options to consider when creating your adoption plan. You have to think about what is best for you and, essentially, what is best for your baby. You can take as long as you need to decide. There is no rush. At Adoption Choices of Colorado, we want to help you create the best adoption plan for you.
Choosing the Type of Adoption You Want in Your Adoption Plan
Choosing what type of adoption is an important decision. It decides how much contact you will have or not have with your child and the adoptive family post-adoption. There are three different types of adoption to choose from: open, semi-open, and closed adoption. It’s up to you which one is the best fit.
Through open and semi-open adoptions, you will be able to have communication with the adoptive parents and your child. The communication can be as limited or as frequent as you want. This is something to consider when creating your adoption plan, especially if you want to be able to send letters to your child and keep in touch with him or her while they grow up. You can negotiate more specifics with the adoptive parents.
Through closed adoptions, there will be no contact between the birth mother and her child or the adoptive parents. This, unfortunately, may be a hard decision to make, but it also could be the best option for you and that’s okay.
There is no correct type of adoption to choose. No contact, lots of contact, or something in between all depends on your comfort level and what you feel is best. The choice is entirely up to you.
Selecting the Adoptive Family You Want in Your Adoption Plan
When placing your baby up for adoption, you may worry if the adoptive parents will be the best match for your child. No matter the circumstances for placing your baby for adoption, you want him or her to have the best family and life that someone could give them. This is a natural concern. After all, the adoptive family will be raising your child for his or her whole life.
Matching your baby with an adoptive parent can be stressful, but we are here to help you find an adoptive family who best meets your needs and requirements. You can choose the adoptive family at any time during the adoptive process, and it’s not a decision to be made quickly. So, remember that you can take your time to review the adoptive parent profiles your adoption caseworker provides you with when the time comes.
There are many questions and considerations for the type of adoptive family you want to raise your child. Do you want a married couple or a single parent to adopt your child? Are you interested in a transracial adoption or a same-sex couple or individual to adopt your child? What personality traits do you want the adoptive parents to have?
These are only some of the questions that you may have and only a few that we can answer for you. These questions may include, but are not limited to, the following: the adoptive family’s religious preferences, parents’ ages, length of their marriage, any existing children in the home, personality traits of adoptive parents or their current children (if applicable), their professions, if one parent will be a stay-at-home parent, and where they’re located.
Creating a Hospital Plan with Your Adoption Plan
This one can be time restraining, but rewarding at the same time. You never know when your baby is going to come into this world, so it’s best to have a plan for when he or she does. There are so many questions and options for when it comes to your hospital stay that you may want answers to. Planning your stay and delivery is very important because, when the day comes, you will know and choose everything that will happen on the birth date of your child.
When considering what you want for your hospital plan, think about who you want to be there during the birth, if you want to have alone time with your baby or the adoptive family, and if you want to name your baby or leave that to the adoptive family. These are some, but not all of the questions to consider when putting together your hospital plan. Answering these questions can definitely take some weight off your shoulders and help you mentally prepare for your hospital experience.
Setting Up Post-Placement Counseling in Your Adoption Plan
Pregnancy alone can take a huge toll on your body, both physically and mentally. Adding adoption into the mix may increase this hardship on you. Both pregnancy and adoption affect everyone differently, but post-placement counseling could be a great consideration when creating your adoption plan. After going through a pregnancy, a birth, and placing your baby up for adoption, you may be mentally worn. Attending post-placement counseling might be the best option for you. You might need an adoption professional to help you mentally get back on your feet.
Remember that counseling and getting help is nothing to be ashamed of. It’s not required, but it could help a lot with being able to talk about the whole experience and how you feel. If you feel as if this could be a great adoption for you, let your adoption caseworker know. Counseling is provided to you at no cost, so no need to worry about additional finances.
Are You Ready to Begin Creating Your Adoption Plan?
There are so many things to consider when creating your adoption plan. But, when it comes down to it, consider what’s best for you and your baby. Ask your adoption caseworker every question you can think of and put yourself in your baby’s tiny shoes. Imagine what he or she might like in their adoptive parents.
No matter how early or late you make your adoption plan, Adoption Choices of Colorado is here to support you and answer any questions you have. What’s the first decision you want to make? Connect with an adoption caseworker and he or she will help you through every step of the adoption process.
If you are facing an unplanned pregnancy and want to learn more about your adoption options, contact Adoption Choices of Colorado by email, phone, or text: Email Us, Text us: 720-371-1099, Call us: 303-670-4673 (HOPE). If you are hoping to adopt, please contact us here.
Meet the Author: Molly Allington is an aspiring author born and raised in Syracuse, New York. When she’s not watching her latest Netflix obsession, you can find her nose deep in a book or in her writing. She has been writing books since she was twelve and is in the process of trying to get her finished books published. Molly has a BA in Creative Writing from Southern New Hampshire University. With her writing, she is hoping to share supportive information and help as many people as possible. Once she starts her own family, she is wanting to adopt.
Stephanie joined the Adoption Choices family in 2014 as the Child Placement Supervisor. Her love for adoption began in first grade when she made friends with twins adopted from Vietnam. Her heart grew strong over the years for adopted children and ultimately led her to graduate school where she continued her focus to her dream of working in the adoption field. Stephanie earned a Master of Social Work degree from the University of Denver in 2001. Over the past 15 years, Stephanie has worked as a pregnancy counselor and as an adoptive parent counselor for foster care, international adoption and domestic adoption, writing hundreds of home studies for families, and helping build their forever families. Stephanie is married and has three boys ages 12, 9, and 5. Together with her family she enjoys riding bike, playing games, watching her three sons compete in their various sporting and musical activities and go on vacations.
Christy Ikeler, is our Executive Director and Birth Parent Director. Christy has been with Adoption Choices Team for 18 years, since opening the doors in 2002! Christy has a true passion for what she does and her true love is working with and helping each birth parent. Whether she is up all night on the phone talking with them, taking them to doctors appointments, out for their favorite treat, providing counseling or at the hospital during labor and delivery, Christy is very involved every step of the way. She has a contagious laugh and a spunky personality that our birth moms all can bond with and relate to. As an adoptive parent herself, adoption holds a very special place in her heart and she can relate on every level with both birth parents and adoptive parents. In her free time Christy loves spending time with her daughter, gardening, baking and taking vacations with her family. Christy is an excellent leader for our team at Adoption Choices and is truly one of a kind!! As Executive Director, Christy spends time with the staff, birth parents and adoptive families in order to ensure that the agency is running smoothly. She has placed a huge emphasis on community outreach and programs for birth parents. Christy loves the opportunity to lead the agency into a brighter future.
Ms. Mackenzie has built a successful counseling career over the past 20 years, supporting mothers and families, people of all ages and genders, students, community professionals and fellow clinicians. Liv values a diverse professional focus, including the entrepreneurial life of a sole proprietor, the evaluative process of certifying foster/adoptive homes, the insightful and mindful one-on-one one work with enthusiastic clients, and serving as an advocate for underserved populations. Liv is a Licensed Professional Counselor and holds a BA in Pre-Law and Economics from American University, an MA in Counseling from Adams University and a certificate in Human Resource Management from Villanova University. Away from work you will find Liv spending time in nature, biking to the farmer’s market and adventuring with her family.
Catherine A. Madsen, joined the Adoption Choices family as legal counsel in 2013. Catherine is responsible for providing legal guidance to the Agency, training and updating staff on developments in adoption law and legislation, and program development. Catherine
Virginia Frank is an adoption attorney accredited since 1991 with the American Academy of Adoption Attorneys. Ms. Frank is a leader in the field of private adoption and has completed over 4,000 adoptions in her career. Ms. Frank has a law degree from Oklahoma City University and a BA in both Political Science and Communications from the University of Oklahoma.
Cassidie has been with Adoption Choices since 2015, she has her bachelors in Interdisciplinary Affairs with concentrations in both Sociology and Business Management. Cassidie has additional training in Victim Advocacy, foster care and has been working in women’s services for over 10 years. Cassidie has always had a heart for adoption and it was her career dream to work in adoption. She started off doing volunteer work for advocacy programs, adoption organizations and worked in High Risk Maternal Fetal Medicine through the University of Colorado Hospital and Children’s Hospital of Colorado. Cassidie is also blessed to have personally experienced an adoption of her own in 2012, completing her family of five! Cassidie loves what she does as a case worker from initial phone calls, meetings, doctor appointments, interaction with the adoptive families to delivery and counseling. Cassidie has a passion for those in need and strives to help make a difference in the lives of the people she meets. She is a firm believer in being kind, compassionate and open minded in all situations. “Unless you’ve walked in their shoes, there’s no place for judgment. A kind word or compliment can go a long way!” The bittersweet moments in adoption reminds Cassidie each and every time, why she loves what she does!